Rotary device for reducing the balloon of thread



Aug' 14, l956 v A. NAU-TOURON 2,758,438

ROTARY DEVICE FOR REDUCING THE BALLON OF' THREAD Filed June 4, 1951 a el ROTARY DEVICE FOR REDUCING THE BALLOON OF THREAD p Albert Nan-Touren, Paris, France, assigner to Isaac Frankel, Paris, France This invention relates to a rotary device for reducing the balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and other frames used in the textile industry.

It is the essential object of this invention to considerably reduce the tension of the manufactured thread by reducing the height of the balloon. In fact, experience shows that the thread tension varies in direct ratio as the square of the height of the balloon of lthread and'in inverse ratio as the square of the maximum chord of this balloon, the latter being an instantaneous and visible dynamic phenomenon produced by any thread during its manufacture on the aforesaid frames between the threadguide and the winding and twisting member, which may be a ring, traveller, etc. By reducing the tension in the manufactured thread the risk of breaking is materially reduced, and the spindle speed and therefore the production of nished thread may be increased correspondingly.

According to this invention the height of the balloon of thread is reduced to the maximum by urging this thread towards the end of the spindle while allowing the thread to make a rotational angular movement in relation to the spindle proper for permitting the 'winding of this thread on the spool. f

The following description, considered lin connection with the accompanying drawings, will enable the particular features of the invention and the operation of the machines constructed in accordance therewith, to be readily understood.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an axial sectional View of a iirst embodiment of the thread balloon reducing device mounted on a conventional spindle.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plane View of the device illustrated in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary axial section of another embodiment of the thread balloon reducing device mounted on -a conventional tube spindle, in which the tube has a greater winding capacity.

Fig. 5 is an axial sectional view of a modified embodiment of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, in which the rotary head is mounted on its sleeve for smooth frictional engagement therewith.

Fig. 6 is an axial sectional view of another modied embodiment of the thread balloon reducing device wherein the head is detachable.

Fig. 7 is an axial section of another embodiment of the thread balloon reducing device mounted on a conventional cop spindle.

Fig. 8 is a general diagrammatic view showing the operation of the device according to this invention.

Referring rst to Fig. 1, the arrangement illustrated comprises a conventional spindle 1 with or Without a shell 2 of wood or other suitable material on which a tube 3 for winding the thread 4 is adapted to be threaded. The thread is wound in cylindrical, cylindro-conical or cylindro-biconical layers according to the desired winding method.

nited States Patent rice On a tip 5 shrunk on spindle 1 so as to initially form an integral part thereof acylindrical member 6 is xed by threaded engagement or in any other suitable manner. This member 6 acts as the outer race of a needle or roller bearing 7 for permitting the free rotation and pivoting of a pivot-pin or rotary member 8. Bearing 7 is held in any conventional manner against axial motion in member 6. The pivotal motion of pivot-pin or rotary member 8 is made easier by the provision of a ball 9 inserted in the bottom end of the pin and acting as a point-contact member with another ball 10 set in an axial cavity formed in member 6 which acts as a sheath for rotary member 8.

In order to prevent pivot-pin or rotary member S from moving upwards when urged by any accidental force exerted outside the normal operation of the device while allowing any pivotal or rotational movement thereof, this pivot-pin 8 is formed with a shoulder portion 11 which, when any upwardly directed force is applied to the pivot-pin, engages a pair of diametrally opposite retaining pins 12 iixed to sheath 6, preferably by threading engagement therewith, a sucient clearance being provided between these retaining pins 12 and pivot-pin 3 to avoid any interference with the movements of the pivot-pin, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The upper end of pivot-pin or rotary member 3 is formed with a head portion 13 having the profile shown or any other convenient shape, this head portion being formed in turn with a pair of opposite arcuate slots 14, 15, in which the thread 4 is passed. Preferably, slot 14 is used for clockwise rotation and slot 15 for anti-clockwise rotation. Each slot is formed with a slit 16 of suitable width for easily introducing the thread therein and so oriented in relation to the axis X-X as to counteract any tendency of the thread to escape from the slot when urged by the centrifugal force developed during the operation of the device. However, this centrifugal force is low, due notably to the relatively short radius of gyration involved.

In order toreduce the mass of assembly 8--13 a cavity may be formed as illustrated at 17.

To protect the bearing 7 against any detrimental introduction of iluif, dust, etc., a packing 18 as well as bae means as illustrated at 19 may be provided if need be.

The design of the device described is such as to permit the free introduction of the winding tube 3, that is, the outer diameters of sheath 6 and head 13 are somewhat smaller than theminimum inner diameter of tube 3. Thus, no time is lost on removing full tubes, bobbins or cops, for instance when performing certain piecing operations such as iinding the loose thread end, etc.

To collect the tubes, the thread is first easily removed from its slot through slit 16 and reintroduced in the same manner and with as much ease before re-starting the frame.

Fig. 4 illustrates a dierent manner of fitting the tube 3a on the spindle, as compared with tube 3 of Fig. l the same elements having the same references followed by index a. In particular, it will he noted that the plane M-N is coincident with the position of the upper end of a tube mounted on a spindle according to conventional practice, this position being therefore considerably higher in the embodiment of Fig. 4. Thus, with the novel arrangement illustrated in this figure it is possible to materially increase the initial tube length by an amount equal to L1 and therefore increase the winding capacity thereof accordingly. This arrangement consists in reducing by a length L2 substantially equal to L1 the initial height of the spindle portion la and lixing the bottom portion Z@ of sheath 6a, by shrinking-on or any other suitable method, on spindle portion 1a. All other parts of the device remain the same as illustrated in Fig. l, under the tapered portion proper of tube 3a, the external portion of the assembly Ztl-6a forming the extension of the spindle shell 2a. As in the preceding case the outer diameter of head i3 makes it possible to freely introduce the tube 3a.

The bearing 7 fitted between pivot-pinor rotary member i; or 8a and sheath 6 or 6a may be dispensed with as illustrated in Fig. 5, the pivot-pin 8b frictionally engaging the sheath 6b; however, the ball pivot arrangement 9, 10 is maintained, the means for preventing the entrance of uff only comprising in this case baffle means 1%.

In view of reducing the mass of the pivot-pin and head assembly as illustrated in Fig. 6 the head may be formed separately and fitted in any suitable manner on top of the pivot-pin or rotary member, the material` used for making the head being lighter than steel or any other material constituting the pivot-pin proper. In the embodiment of Fig. 6 the pivot-pin or rotary member 8c is journaled in a pair of ball-bearings 7c inside the sheath 6c and formed at its upper end with a threaded portion.

This threaded portion has fixed thereon a lower tapered member 21 formed with a cylindrical cavity 22 engaged by a centering shank 23 carried by the head 13C also screwed on the threaded portion of the pivot-pin 8c. rl`his head is held in position by a locking nut 24. The tapered member 21 can easily be replaced when worn by the passage of the thread. In this case, it will be sufficient to have the outer diameter of the sheath smaller than the minimum inner diameter'of the tube, since parts 21, 22 and 24 are detachable from the assembly.

Fig. 7 shows how the thread balloon reducing device of the invention is used for winding thread on a cop. The upper end portion 1d of the spindle on which the cop 25 is mounted in a manner known per se extends from this cop and is formed with a tapered portion 26 capped with the bottom end 20d of sheath 6d which is formed with a corresponding tapered bore.

The speed of rotation of the spindle being S2, it will be noted that the variable instantaneous velocity of rotation w of the winding and twisting member (ring or traveller, or any other corresponding member) is always lower than the instantaneous velocity Q of the spindle proper, because it is governed by the formula wherein t.

L-:the instantaneous output of the delivering device of l For a normal operation of this device the speed of the pivotpin or rotary member and head assembly should constantly equal w. This is why the device concerned must be rotative. will constantly have a certain angular lag, of low'and variable value, in relation to the tube-carrying spindle. This is by no means detrimental in the arrangement contemplated in this specication, owing to the easy rotation and relative pivoting movement provided as described.

Now, assuming the rotation to be clockwise as in the case illustrated in Fig. l, from the foregoing, the thread 4 will engage slot 14. Due to the low inertia of assembly 8-13 and of the air drag acting upon thread 4, the latter is urged freely to engage the bottom of this slot, as illustrated in Fig. 3. However, this occurs very smoothly without any abrupt constraint due to the relatively extensive sector aiorded by the slot 14. This is a valuable feature for absorbing any accidental jerks likely to affect the normal operation of the spindle proper n (for instance when the spindle band knot or the driving belt seam pass over the spindle whorl) as well as that of the winding and twisting member (rotary ring, traveller, etc.)

Besides, as shown in Fig. 8, `the height H of the or' The rotating portion of this assembly dinaryballoon from the thread-guide 22 to the winding point of the winding member 2,1` (rotary ring, traveller, etc.) is divided into two fragmentary balloons, that is a balloon having a height h2 from thread-guide 22 to head 13, and a balloon having a height hi from head I3 to the winding point of winding member 21. Considering more particularly this balloon In, because it has a greater iniluence upon the resulting thread tension, the latter, for the sameamplitude D of the initial balloon, will be reduced by the ratio i12 Hz that is to a substantial extent. In addition, the assembly 8-13, by assisting the rotational movement of winding and twisting member 2,1 will further and as much reduce this tension. For the same tension as with a balloon having a height H, the amplitude would be such that d D and would be consistent with the above-mentioned correlation between the square of the vballoon height and that of the parameter of this amplitude.

Regarding the rst balloon k2 its relative inuence upon the resulting tension is small, in particular if any synchronism between the wavelengths of both fragmentary balloons is avoided by suitably setting the thread-guide 22 in either of the directions indicated by the arrows of assembly 27.

Of course, when anti-clockwise rotation is contemplated the operation of the device is unchanged, except that thread 4 engages slot 15. Besides, by suitably designing slots 14, 15 and their slits 16, either slot can be used irrespective of the direction of rotation of the spindle.

The operative surfaces of slots 14, 15 will be perfectly ared, widening towardy the spindle and highly polished in order to avoid `any thread splitting, tutting or other similar difficulties.

This device is very readily mounted on both existing and new spindles.

In the foregoing, stress has been laid particularly on tube winding which by far is the most widely used in the textile industry. However, the device according to the invention for limiting the phenomenon of thread balloon in textile machinery is also applicable to cop-winding, as shown` in Fig. 7, as well as to the winding of bobbins and any other thread carriers.

What I claim is:

1. A rotary device for reducing the' balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device to a winding support mounted On a rotary spindle of the frame by causing said thread to successively pass through a thread-guide and a winding and twisting device, comprising, in combination, a sheath fixed on the spindle, a rotary member coaxial with said spindle and formed with a shank portion engaging said sheath and with a head portion projecting from said sheath, said head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametrally. opposite arcuate slots directedlobliquely and widening towards said spindle, each slot having an upper and a lower aperture, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with a pair of diametrally opposite slits ending in said slots respectively, means for preventing any axial displacement of said rotary member in relation to said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of utf and dust between said shank portion and said sheath, means for providing a point-contact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the, bottom ofsaid: sheath, andat least one. antifriction bearing member interposed between said shank portion and said sheath.

2. A rotary device for reducing the balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and` similar frames of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device to a winding tube mounted on a rotary spindle ofthe frame by causing said thread to succes sively pass through a thread-guide and a lwinding and twisting device, comprising, in combination, a sheath fixed on the spindle, a rotary member coaxial with said spindle and formed with a shank portion engaging said sheath and with a head portion projecting from said sheath, said head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametrally opposite arcuate slots directed obliquely and widening towards ysaid spindle, each slot having an upper and a lower aperture, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with la pair of diametrally opposite slits ending in said slots respectively, means for preventing any axial `displacement of said rotary member in relation to said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of uii and dust between said shank portion and said sheath, means for providing a pointcontact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the bottom of said sheath, and at least one anti-friction bearing member interposed between said shank portion and said sheath, the outer diameters of said sheath and said head portion being slightly smaller than the smallest inner diameter of the winding tube.

3. A rotary device, according to claim 2 wherein the means for preventing the axial displacement of said member in relation to said sheath comprises a shoulder portion and a pair of retaining pins disposed in orthogonal relationship to the axis of said rotary member, over said shoulder portion and close to said rotary member.

4. A rotary device, according to claim 2, wherein the sheath is formed with an axial cavity and wherein the means for providing a point-contact engagement cornprises a ball tted at the bottom of the shank portion of the rotary member, and another ball fitted at the bottom of said axial cavity and contacting said rst ball.

5. A rotary device for reducing the balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames of the type in which the threadis led from a delivering device to a winding tube mounted on a rotary spindle of the frame by causing said thread to successively pass through a thread-guide and a winding and twisting device, comprising, in combination, a sheath fixed on the spindle, a rotary member coaxial with said spindle and comprising at one end a shank portion engaging said sheath and at the other end a threaded portion projecting from said sheath, a lower tapered portion screwed on said threaded portion, provided with a ceny tering portion engaging said sheath and with an upper cylindrical cavity, a head portion adapted to be screwed on said threaded portion above said tapered portion provided with a centering shank positioned within said cylindrical cavity, said head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametrally opposite arcuate slots directed obliquely and widening towards said spindle and ending both above and below said head portion, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with a pair of diametrally opposite oblique slits opening in said slots respectively, means for preventing any axial displacement of said rotary member in relation to said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of ilui and dust between said shank portion and said sheath, means for providing a point-contact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the bottom of said sheath, and at least one anti-friction bearing member interposed between said shank portion and said sheath, the diameter of said sheath being slightly smaller than the smallest inner diameter of the winding tube.

6. A rotary device for reducing the balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device toa winding tube mounted on a rotary spindle of the frame by causing said thread to successively pass through a thread-guide and a winding and twisting device, comprising, in combination, a sheath fixed on the spindle, a rotary member coaxial with said spindle and formed with a shank portion engaging said sheath and with a head portion projecting froml said sheath, said shank portion being in smooth frictional engagement with said sheath, said head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametrally opposite arcuate slots directed obliquely and widening towards said spindle, each slot having an upper and a loweraperture, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with a pair of diametrally opposite slits ending in said slots respectively, means for preventing any axial displacement of said rotary member in relation to said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of ui and dust between said shank portion `and said sheath,

and means for providing a point-contact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the bottom of said sheath.

7. A rotary device for reducing the balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device to a winding cop mounted on a rotary spindle of the frame formed with a tapered end and by causing said threadto successively pass through a threadguide and a winding and twisting device, comprising, in combination, a sheath having a bottom portion formed with a tapered bore, said sheath being fixed on the tapered end of the cop-carrying spindle through the medium of said tapered bore, a rotary member coaxial with saidspindle and formed with a shank portion engaging said sheath and with a head portion projecting from said sheath, said head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametrally opposite arcuate slots directed obliquely and widening towards said spindle, each .slot having an upper and a lower aperture, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with a pair of diametrally opposite slits ending in said slots respectively, means for preventing any axial displacement of said rotary member in relation to said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of ilui and dust between said shank portion and said sheath, means for providing a point-contact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the bottom of said sheath, and at least one anti-friction bearing member interposed between said shank portion and said sheath.

8. A rotary device for reducing a balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device to a winding tube mounted on a rotary spindle of the frame which is formed with a terminal pin, by causing said thread to successively pass through a thread-guide and a winding and twisting device, comprising, in combination, a sheath xed on the pin of the spindle, a rotary member coaxial with said spindle and formed with a shank portion engaging said sheath and with a head portion projecting from said sheath, said head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametrally opposite arcuate slots directed obliquely and widening towards said spindle, each slot having an upper and a lower aperture, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with a pair of diametrally opposite slits ending in said slots respectively, means for preventing any axial displacement of said rotary member in relation to said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of Huff and dust between said shank portion and said sheath, means for providing a point-contact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the bottom of said sheath, and at least one antifriction bearing member interposed between said shank portion and said sheath, the outer diameters of said sheath and said head portion being slightly smaller than the smallest inner diameter of the winding tube, whereby the winding of standard tubes is ensured with a thread tension less than usual.

9. A rotary device for reducing a balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device to a winding tube mounted on a rotary spindle of `the frame by .causing said. thread to successively pass through a thread-.guide and a winding and twisting device, and wherein the spindle has been reduced in height, comprising,` in combination, a sheath formed with a footportion which is xed on the reduced spindle, a rotary member coaxial with said spindle and formed with a shank portion engaging said sheath and withfa head portion projecting from said sheath, said. head portion being formed with a lightening cavity with a pair of diametraliy opposite arcuate slots directed obliquely and widening towards said spindle, each slot having an upper and a lower aperture, the outer surface of said head portion being formed with a pair of diametrally opposite slits ending in said slots respectively, the head` portion of the rotary member being ysituated in relation to the top of said reduced spindle at a distance slightly greater than twice the dimension of the part of the spindle removed therefrom, means for preventing any axial displacement of said rotary member in relation toY said sheath, means for preventing the entrance of fluit and dust between said shank portion and, said sheath, means for providing a point-contact engagement between the bottom end of said shank portion and the bottom of said sheath, and at least one antifriction bearing member interposed between said shank portion and said sheath, the outer diameters of said sheath and said head portion being slightly smaller than the smallest` inner diameter of the winding tube, whereby the winding operation may be carried out along a tube length greater than that of the standard tube which was mounted on said spindle before reducing the spindle height.

10. A rotary device for reducing a balloon of thread in spinning, twisting, doubling, throwing and similar frames, of the type in which the thread is led from a delivering device to a winding support mounted on a rotary'spindle of the frame by causing said thread to successively pass through a thread guide and a winding and twisting device, comprising, in, combination, a rotary intermediate device between the thread guide and the winding and twisting device, supported by, and coaxial with, the spindle, and means permitting the rotation of said intermediate device relative to said spindle, said intermediate device having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the smallest inner diameter of the winding support, whereby said winding support when full may be removed from the spindle without dismounting said in termediate device, said last device being further formed with upwardly and downwardly open arcuate slots directed obliquely and wideningA towards said spindle anti with slits ending in said slots respectively for engaging the thread led from said thread guide to said winding and twisting device, whereby the conventional balloon formed between the thread guide and the winding and twisting device is divided in two balloons, which reduces the tension in the manufactured thread.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 278,197 Sullivan May 22, 1883 959,198 Boyd May 24, 1910 1,167,681 Evans Ian. 11, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 174,993 Switzerland May 1, 1935 

1. A ROTARY DEVICE FOR REDUCING THE BALLOON OF THREAD IN SPINNING, TWISTING, DOUBLING, THROWING AND SIMILAR FRAMES OF THE TYPE IN WHICH THE THREAD IS LED FROM A DELIVERING DEVICE TO A WINDING SUPPORT MOUNTED ON A ROTARY SPINDLE OF THE FRAME BY CAUSING SAID THREAD TO SUCESSIVELY PASS THROUGH A THREAD-GUIDE AND A WINDING AND TWISTING DEVICE, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SHEATH FIXED ON THE SPINDLE, A ROTARY MEMBER COAXIAL WITH SAID SPINDELE AND FORMED WITH A SHANK PORTION ENGAGING SAID SHEATH AND WITH A HEAD PORTION PROJECTING FROM SAID SHEATH, SAID HEAD BEING FORMED WITH A LIGHTENING CAVITY WITH A PAIR OF DIAMETRALLY OPPOSITE ARCUATE SLOTS DIRECTED OBLIQUELY AND WIDENING TOWARDS SAID SPINDLE, EACH SLOT HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER APERTURE, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID HEAD PORTION BEING FORMED WITH A PAIR OF DIAMETRALLY OPPOSITE SLITS ENDING IN SAID SLOTS RESPECTIVELY, MEANS FOR PREVENTING ANY AXIAL DISPLACEMENT OF 